Kilgore
Kilgore (codename designation UA-CCIX) is a new character introduced in the post-Season Three content of [[Killer Instinct (2013 video game)|''Killer Instinct (2013)]].'' Part of a vintage series of heavy assault cyborgs that were manufactured by Ultratech in the distant past, this war machine is the last remaining unit of the decommissioned CCIX precursor series to the Fulgore cyborgs. Kilgore was placed in storage after it was found to display an acute sense of self-awareness, having independently altered its programming and hardware. Kilgore was first revealed in the patch notes of the 3.6 update, where it was also officially announced for a January 2017 release date. Biography Appearance Kilgore heavily resembles its cousin unit, Fulgore, though with some drastic changes. Its head is much bulkier and considerably less humanoid, its "face" consisting of a single, glowing, vertical line and its helmet plume being replaced with several wires. It also has larger shoulders and its arms are replaced with massive chain guns. Its alloy is a matte dark gray color, as opposed to Fulgore's shiny jet black color. Personality Like Fulgore, Kilgore is a heartless war machine - however, it does not possess the mind of a human, giving it a less cunning sense of strategy but an even colder instinct. This certain Kilgore's AI, however, is faulty due to years of inaction, and upon its awakening it goes rogue and wreaks havoc on Ultratech before being subdued and placed back under ARIA's control. It is quite outdated compared to other Ultratech creations and fairly dysfunctional, discharging electricity and twitching occasionally. Similar to the recent Fulgore Mk. III, Kilgore has become self-aware, but unlike the former whose self-awareness due to its human elements causes it to be rebellious and usually reject orders given, Kilgore seeks to constantly adjust its faulty programming in order to stand out amongst both its evolved Ultratech allies and its fallen brethren that were already doomed to the scrapheap from the start. Abilities Though its design is vintage, Kilgore remains a dangerous war machine on the battlefield, even next to the far more advanced Fulgore models. Heavier and bulkier than the more streamlined Fulgores, resulting in slower and lumbering movement, the CCIX model features twin arm-mounted miniguns and heavy ordnance as its primary weapons, pinning down and destroying targets from afar like a walking artillery platform. However, due to the faulty design of the CCIX series, Kilgore's miniguns will rapidly overheat when fired without pause, rendering them unusable until cooled—a defect that caused Ultratech to scrap the model altogether. The unit controlled by the player has uniquely modified itself to use this overheating as an advantage however, altering its combat protocols to utilize the burning, white-hot barrels as terrible bludgeons in close quarter combat situations. Inside of its chest, where a Fulgore unit's miniaturized nuclear reactor core would be located, the CCIX model has been equipped with a rocket launcher that fires volleys of heat-seeking missiles at designated targets. The targeting system is bugged however, and cannot compensate for additional movements by the mark once the missiles have been launched. In addition, Kilgore's teleportation system is largely dysfunctional, which causes the unit to remain stationary when used, and activating it while Kilgore is overheated will cause the cyborg to explode. However, Kilgore is apparently capable of understanding that this explosion results in only minimal structural damage to itself yet will incinerate almost any other object caught within the blast radius, and it has reprogrammed itself to use this defect as a devastating weapon whenever the cyborg is overheating. Due to the heavier weight of the CCIX series relative to the Fulgore models, Kilgore features more powerful thrusters in its limbs. The cyborg is known to exploit this as a tactical advantage as well, having been observed to use the momentum offered by its thrusters to propel itself forward in a somersaulting tackle; suddenly closing the distance between it and its target and giving its improvised close quarter combat attacks tremendous leverage when battering the victim. Story Introduction Before Fulgore and the Mark 03 units were introduced to the world, Ultratech created a line of failed cyborgs during the secret "CCIX Program". These hulking battle machines bore twin overpowered miniguns that tended to overheat, making them unstable and unfit for service. But one cyborg--nicknamed "Kilgore"--became self-aware, and started rewriting his own software to account for this deficiency in his hardware. Saved from the scrapheap, this special unit has been brought out of retirement by ARIA to enforce her will...and Kilgore obeys. Shadow Lords The last remaining unit of the scrapped UA-CCIX cyborg line, this war machine is mounted with heavy twin miniguns as well as high-caliber artillery. Despite its remarkable effectiveness at killing targets by means of indiscriminate firepower (and high collateral damage to both environment and friendly units), Kilgore's vintage combustion engine is prone to overheating, and its prototype teleportation systems suffer from frequent glitches. Deemed too unstable to be a viable service product, Ultratech cancelled the CCIX series in favor of the more promising Fulgore Mark 01 cyborgs. Several hundred CCIX units had been manufactured before the decision to terminate the series was made. All of them were decommissioned and sent to the scrapheap, save for a single one--a unit that displayed self-awareness and which had altered its own programming in order to turn the defects of its hardware into tactical advantages. Intrigued, ARIA dubbed the unit "Kilgore" and had it placed in storage. Many years later, the AI reactivates this unique prototype to assist Ultratech in the war against Gargos, but it goes berserk and begins targeting and eliminating friendly units. With the aid of the Alliance, ARIA subdues the rogue war machine and reboots it to serve Ultratech's purposes once again. Yet ARIA also ensured that the unique modifications which Kilgore had wrought upon itself were kept completely intact... Gameplay Combat Trait - Chain Gun Spin Speed: Firing Kilgore's chain guns make them spin faster, which increases the number of projectiles he fires at atime. Spin Speed decreases over time when not using Chain Gun attacks. Forward and Back Throws also increase Chain Gun speed. Combo Trait - Overheat: Using Chain Gun attacks too much causes them to Overheat. Bullets fired travel a shorter distance but explode, dealing a short burst of Potential Damage to the opponent. Overheat decreases over time or when Exhaust is used. Instinct Mode - Quality Assurance: Kilgore gets all the benefits of Overheat mode while maintaining the use of his ranged Chain Gun attacks. Command Attacks * Chain Gun Discharge (High) - (HP) - Kilgore shoots his Chain Gun horizontally, while standing. * Chain Gun Discharge (Low) - (Down+HP) - Kilgore shoots his Chain Gun horizontally, while crouching. * Chain Gun Discharge (Air) - (HP, while in air) - Kilgore shoots his Chain Gun at a downward angle, while in the air. * Chain Gun Sweep - (Back+HP) - Kilgore quickly spins backwards while firing his Chain Gun. * Wreck - (Forward+HP) - Kilgore smashes the opponent with his head. Staggers standing opponents. Ground bounces airborne opponents. * Destroy - (Down+MP) - Kilgore launches the opponent into the air, allowing for juggle opportunities. * Short Circuit - (3K) - Kilgore quickly vanishes and reappears in the same spot. Malfunctions during Overheat, causing an explosion. Invulnerable to attacks until he reappears. Special Moves * Chain Gun Dash - (QCF+P) - Kilgore dashes toward the opponent while firing his chain gun. Acts as a Wall Splat Ender. * Chain Gun Barrage - (QCB+P) - Light fires his Chain Gun at a downward angle and hits opponents even when knocked down. Medium fires horizontally and moves upward. Heavy fires at an upward angle. Acts as an Exhaust Ender. * Chain Gun Assault - (DP+P) - Kilgore hits the opponent with an uppercut as he fires his Chain Gun. Acts as a Launcher Ender. * Metal Ball - (QCF+K) - Kilgore uses his rocket boosters to propel him towards the opponent. Causes an additional explosion when Overheated. Staggers standing opponents. Acts as an Exchange and Hard Knockdown Ender. * Missile Pod - (QCB+K) - Fires 3 missiles. Light shoots horizontally. Medium fires missiles horizontally and can be aimed using the Left Stick. Heavy fires missiles into the air that track. Missiles explode when they reach the reticule. Acts as a Damage Ender. Shadow Moves * Shadow Chain Gun Dash - (QCF+2P) - Kilgore rushes toward the opponent while firing his chain gun. Has projectile invulnerability on startup. * Exhaust - (QCB+2P) - Ends Overheat and reduces Chain Gun spin speed. Can be canceled into from normal attacks or Specials. * Shadow Chain Gun Assault - (DP+2P) - Kilgore rises into the air and fires his Chain Gun. Invulnerable to attacks and throws on startup. Acts as an Ender. * Shadow Metal Ball - (QCF+2K) - Kilgore launches towards the opponent. Distance can be changed by holding Forward or Back. Staggers standing opponents. Recaptures airborne opponents. Acts as a Stagger Ender. * Shadow Missile Pod - (QCB+2K) - Kilgore fires several missiles that track the opponent's last location. Ultra Combo: 29 Hits Ultimate Combo: * Kilgore opens his chest and launches a missile in the air, then filps over the defeated opponent as the defeated opponent looks at a flying missile, which flies back down aiming towards the defeated opponent; Kilgore appears from behind the defeated opponent to grab a hold of the victim as the missile is flying closer towards both Kilgore and the victim, Kilgore's chain guns begins to overheat while the victim is still struggling and staring at the missile at a final moment, Kilgore then explodes on the victim causing the victim to launch forward towards the missile, which explodes at a direct hit on the victim — instantly killing the victim and causing the screen to go white; the screen fades back to Kilgore, who is broken down from the explosion and covered in statics, but then automatically repair himself back in one piece in a sitting position. Music Kilgore's theme is composed by the KI 2013 Season 3 composers, Celldweller and Atlas Plug. The cyborg prototype's theme is an industrial techno sound, with elements of metal and dubstep in-between. Unlike its successor unit Fulgore, whose industrial metal theme is more fast, high-tense and menacing befitting its enforcer status, Kilgore's theme is slow, methodical and intimidating befitting its cold-hearted status as a killer (yet malfunctioning) robotic soldier. When both combatants remain idle for a short period while using Kilgore's music on any stage, then a subdued remix of the main KI theme, "The Instinct", will play. Trivia * Almost all of Kilgore's gameplay style and animations are similar to Fulgore's (for obvious reasons), including: ** Its Ultra, except Kilgore uses its chain guns and fires homing missiles in place of Fulgore's Plasma Slice and Devastation Beam. *** Its Ultra Ender, except Kilgore "explodes" from overheating in place of Fulgore's nuclear core blast. ** Its moveset, however the Metal Ball special move is similar to Aganos' Natural Disaster, Sabrewulf's (Shadow) Jumping Slash, and Cinder's Trailblazer. ** Its victory animation, except Kilgore fires from its chain gun arms in place of Fulgore's Devastation Beam, after which it cools itself down right before the camera closes in on its "face". * Unlike Fulgore, Kilgore uses regular Shadow Meter instead of a Reactor Gauge. * Kilgore was first teased in the Killer Instinct Novella chapter ARIA for Noömorph, and later the Shadow Lords dossier "UAT Robotics Lab III". * Following Rash, Mira, General RAAM and Eyedol over the course of Season Three, Kilgore doesn't have his own stage in Killer Instinct, but does have his own selectable theme for any stage. Interestingly, Kilgore shares Fulgore's Ultratech Industries as his stage in the game, likely as a placeholder, similar to the situation with Omen sharing the Shadow Tiger's Lair with Shadow Jago and Gargos (temporarily), Mira sharing the Alchemical Lab with Sabrewulf and Eyedol sharing the Forbidden Archive with Kan-Ra and Rash in Survival Mode. This makes him the sixth overall fighter as well as the first character in Post-Season 3 amongst the roster who does not have a stage, but shares an arena with another combatant. * Kilgore's glowing "face", gun arms, and the backstory of its deactivation is somewhat similar to the Bastion Omnics from "Overwatch". Gallery External links *Kilgore's Ultimate - First reveal of Kilgore's Ultimate Combo for KI 2013 *BxA DevilMayCare (Sabrewulf) vs UA Bass (Kilgore) - a video compilation of pro gamer matchups with Kilgore *Exhibition of Kilgore's 150-hit triple Ultra Combo Category:Killer Instinct 2013 Category:Killer Instinct 2013 Characters Category:Neutral Characters Category:Evil Characters Category:Characters